Flying Home
by inkstainedfingerprint
Summary: "Oh my god." I breathed "I'm dreaming. Or I'm dead and I've gone to heaven and this is just my inner geek coming out to ruin the rest of my eternity." "I've heard the Shire described as many places, but this is the first time I've heard it described as heaven." He chuckled. "Oh my God. I've landed in New Zealand or in Pinewood Studios."
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! **

**This is a re-write of my first story Flying Home, the characters are still the same and everything, I just needed to change a few things around and so I thought it would be easier to just re-start it completely. Sorry it's taken me so long to get things up here, I've been in a no internet zone (hell) and I'm starting Year 10 in a couple of days so updates may have long gaps, hopefully I'll be able to get a chapter posted every week but we shall see!**

**Sorry for my inane rambling. Please review, it would mean the world to me! Also if you see any mistakes please point them out, this story is currently un-betaed (is that how it's spelt?) and so if you do see anything please do tell me!**

**Thank you and on with the story!**

**DISCLAIMER: I, inkstainedfingerprint, own nothing apart from the laptop upon which I am writing this story (actually that's a lie, I own half of it) and my OC's.**

* * *

Chapter One

"Lucy," She didn't answer.

"Lucy, come on." Still no answer.

"Luuuuccccccyyyyyyyy. Cooooommmmeeee ooooonnnnn." I whined. Her blue eyes closed and she groaned in annoyance, swinging her legs off the sofa.

"I hate you." She grumbled.

"I know," I replied, smirking. She groaned again.

"We have to go now if we're going to catch our flight." I said in a sing-song voce.

"I know, I know." She paused. "I still hate you."  
"Boohoo, I'm heartbroken." I retorted. "Now can we please go? We have to arrive like an hour or so before."

"Okay, okay, hang on a minute while I grab my bags." I sighed. She smiled and disappeared up the stairs, reappearing minutes later with two large suitcases.

"Alright then, let's go."

* * *

"Good morning everybody, this is your Captain speaking, we will depart from London Gatwick at 12:00pm, local time and arrive at Dublin Airport at 1:30pm local time. Thank you for choosing Air Lingus." I smiled and buckled my seatbelt, reaching down into my bag for my book. I pulled it out and opened it at the first page.

"God, I can't believe you're reading that again. Don't you ever get bored of it?" Lucy asked, turning the page of her Vogue magazine.

"Nope." She shrugged, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder.

We were about forty minutes into the flight when it began to get bumpy.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are currently experiencing some turbulence so if you could all sit down and fasten your seatbelts." Came the falsely sunny voice of one of the air hostesses. There was a large bump and one of the old women in the row in front of us shrieked. Lucy rolled her eyes. There was another bump and the lady sitting next to me yelped and grabbed my arm.

"Sorry, I'm a nervous flier." She said quietly. I smiled at her politely and slowly moved my arm out of grabbing range.

"It's just, planes are just metal boxes in the sky and-" Bump. "there's no way-" Bump. "out of them." Bump. "And if something-" Bump. "goes wrong-" Bump. "they can't" Bump. "fix it" Bump. "while it's" Bump. "in the-" Bump. "air." She's starting to scare me. The plane gives a funny little lurch. Someone's screaming. I think it's the lady next to me. There's another bump and I grab onto Lucy's hand. The plane drops. A man in the aisle across from us shoots up out of his chair and bangs his head on the overhead locker. Oh God, he's bleeding. Another large bump and one of the overhead lockers opens, raining down bags and coats. One of the air hostesses staggers down the aisle. The plane jolts and she shrieks, practically running back to her seat and strapping herself in. I clutch tighter to Lucy's hand. I'm starting to panic. My heart is racing and my palms are sweaty. Oh God I can't breathe.

There's another lurch. There's a weird popping sound and the oxygen mask drops down in front of me. I stare at it dumbly for a minute before Lucy's shaking my shoulder and shoving the mask at me. I pull it on quickly and tighten it around my head. The plane jolts and Lucy grabs my hand. Lucy is scared. My fearless older sister is scared. I think I'm going to cry. Another lurch. I don't cry but I do scream. So does everyone else. We're falling. The plane is going to crash and we're all going to die.

We're all going to die. Oh my God. We're all going to die. Oh my god. Oh my God. Oh my god. A fresh wave of panic washes over me. The plane lurches forward again and then there's a sudden sensation of weightlessness. I clutched at the arm rests. Oh my God. The plane is falling. I'm never going to see my parents again. Oh my God. Oh my God. Gravity is pulling at me, pulling me up into the hard plastic ceiling. The woman beside me crashes into the overhead locker. She's mopping blood off her face. Oh my God!

There was another huge bump and I can barely hear the tinny intercom over the screaming.

"….failure… engine…..overheated…evacuate…" The pilot sounds terrified.

One of the air hostesses stumbles down the aisle to the middle of the plane.

"You need to open the door!" she yells.  
"The emergency exit! We have to evacuate the plane!" The people in the middle started to scream even more but none of them moved. The air hostess gives a shout of frustration and pushes past the passengers to the door, trying to open it. The plane lurches forward again and she falls. The plane evens out and there's a moment of peace and I feel Lucy relax slightly beside me. Her grip on my hand loosens and she exhales deeply, giving me a small smile. Then the plane plunges. I scream. My mind was racing. All the things that I'd never done and never would do- I'd never been to Glastonbury, I'd never been out of Europe, I'd never been up a mountain, I'd never gone white water rafting, I'd never gone rock climbing, or abseiling, or kayaking, or travelling round the world. I'd never see Japan, or China, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, New York, Florida, California, Mexico, Peru, Moscow, St. Petersburg. I would never finish my degree, I would never graduate, I would never get a job, I would never get a promotion, and I would never settle down and get married. I would never have a family.

The plane continued to spiral through the sky.

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God pray for our sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen." I repeated over and over again, stumbling over words and clutching at the seats with shaking hands.

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God pray for our sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen." Lucy joined in with a shaky voice.

The plane fell and I was thrown forward into the chair in front of me. I groaned. There was another large bump and the locker above me opened. Bags came tumbling down and something hard and sharp fell onto me, digging into my scalp. My head exploded in pain. Lucy screamed. I touched my forehead and whimpered when my fingers came away coated in blood. There was another lurch. I started to cry. Lucy clutched my hand, holding it tighter. I blinked away blood. Spots started to appear before my eyes. My head was pounding. The intercom was crackling. There was a loud bang. The spots got bigger, forming on large black spot. I couldn't see anything. The noises around me started to fade to a whirring. Then there was silence. Just me and the darkness inside my head.

* * *

"_We interrupt tonight's broadcast to bring you the latest update on the plane crash on the coast of Northern Ireland. The aircraft has been retrieved and the cause of the crash identified as an engine failure. The aircraft has been identified as the Air Lingus BOEING 17625 flight to Belfast International. Air Lingus has released a statement saying that they are 'sorry for the pain and suffering that they have caused the families of the victims. They will be conducting an internal investigation to make sure that it does not happen again.' The youngest victim, identified as Cara O'Sullivan, a twenty year old woman who was travelling with her older sister Lucy, has been described as a caring and beautiful girl, with the brightest of futures ahead of her. Her older sister has been described as a lovely, intelligent and brilliant girl who was looking forward to her last year at University studying Medicine. The eldest Miss O'Sullivan is currently is in a critical condition in Intensive care. She is twenty-three years old. The plane left from Gatwick Airport today at 12:00 with 135 people on board. At 12:50, the engines failed and the aircraft crashed into the cliff side on the coast of County Antrim in Northern Ireland. _

_There were no other survivors."_

* * *

**So yeah, that's Chapter One, pretty much the same as before, a few small changes but practically the same. I'll try and get Chapter Two up quickly. Please leave a review, even if it's a criticism, I'll happily welcome constructive criticisms to help improve my work. I'm not sure how long a Medicine degree lasts so I looked it up on good old Wikipedia which said that they lasted five years so if she started Uni when she was eighteen then she'd be twenty-three now, if any one knows different please tell me, I want to get all the little details right. So yeah, thank you for reading and I'll see you all soon! **

**M x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, I'm back! I'm soooooo soooooo sorry I haven't been around for a while, I went back to school and have been bogged down in work. I have two speaking exams in Spanish and French coming up so I've been focusing on them.**

**Huge thanks to Shayran16 and TurtleJustice, you guys are amazing and I may or may not have squealed when I saw the reviews. I promise I will change those mistakes. Also thanks to the people who favourited and followed, I love you all very much! **

**So on with the story, I think that this chapter will be shorter than the last one, sorry about that but I guess we'll see. Please leave a comment, criticism welcome, they make me very happy!**

**Okay so before we begin, there is a PoV change at the end, so that will be in italics. Right enough of me, enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: Still nothing except half a laptop, two OC's and a lot of tea. **

* * *

My head was pounding. It felt like someone was kicking me in the head over and over again. It was so quiet. All the sounds I had heard before the plane crashed, the screaming, shouting, bangs, they had disappeared. Silence. Hesitantly, I brought a finger up to my pounding head. My fingers came away sticky and wet with blood. I tentatively stretched myself out on the grass, checking for broken bones. Everything ached. Thankfully though, I seemed to be fully intact. Groaning I turned my head and slowly opened my eyes. I was lying on something green. Grass I think. Huh. I guess the plane landed in a field. I sat up, wincing at the sudden flare of pain in my head. No sign of the plane. I blinked. I should be surrounded by debris and plane parts, not to mention people. Where was everyone else? Where was Lucy?

I scrambled up onto my feet, frantically looking for people, plane parts, anything. There was nothing.

"Lucy!" I yelled. I swallowed back the panic that was clawing its way up my throat.

"Lucy! Where are you?" There was no reply. I'm alone, in a random field with not even a cow for company. I sank back down onto the grass, ignoring the twinges of pain that seemed to radiate from every part of my body. What the actual fuck is going on?

"Pardon?"

"AARRGGHH!"

Standing behind me with a very disapproving look was Gandalf. As in Gandalf the Grey, the wizard from the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. But it couldn't be Gandalf. Because Gandalf was made up. He's a fictional character, in a book for crying out loud!

"Oh my god." I breathed, blinking stupidly up at him (how freaking tall is this guy anyway!)

"I'm dreaming. Or I'm dead and I've gone to heaven and this is just my inner geek coming out to ruin the rest of my eternity."

"I've heard the Shire described as many places, but this is the first time I've heard it described as heaven." He chuckled. I just stared dumbly at him.

"I've landed in New Zealand. Or in the bloody Pinewood Studios." Gandalf looked at me bemusedly.

"I'm going mad. I'm actually going crazy." I whispered.

"And why is that?" he said taking a pipe out of his pocket and lighting it.

"Because you're a made up character. In a book. You're not real." He looked affronted.

"Of course I'm real. I'm here aren't I?"

"That doesn't mean you're real!" I snapped. He sniffed and took a very long drag from his pipe.

"I think, my dear, you had better start at the beginning of your tale."

And so I told Gandalf everything.

* * *

He didn't say anything for a long while. He just sat there looking thoughtful, puffing lightly on his pipe. I fidgeted with the sleeve of my jumper while I waited for him to talk.

"It seems to me that you were brought here for a reason. What that reason is remains unclear." He took another long drag from his pipe.

"Very well, it is decided. You will come with me. I am going to a very good friend of mine, you could if he allows you to, stay there until other arrangements have been sorted out. I'm sure he will have the necessary equipment to deal with that." He said, gesturing at the gash across my forehead with his staff. He helped me up from my seat on the grass and put out his pipe.

"I'm meeting a few others on the way. Dwarfs, they are a merry bunch, once you get used to them. They will be very surprised to see a female dwarf this far away from home." he said conversationally.

"Pardon? A dwarf? I'm not a dwarf. I'm just short." I retorted, folding my arms across my chest. Gandalf smiled.

"You my dear, are very much a dwarf." My mouth dropped and I'm pretty sure he was laughing under that crooked grey hat.

"Come along then, we haven't got all day."

* * *

_The silence I had so blissfully found was fading. Noises were creeping back, interrupting and loud. Someone was screaming. A name, over and over again. I felt numb. Surrounded by something cold and wet. The sounds were distorted, they flitted in and out of my head, barely registering. All I knew was that I was cold. Freezing even. I tried to open my eyes. It felt like there was something pressing down on me. Stopping me from moving. I tried to fight it but it was like my arms and legs refused to move. Betraying me to the cold weight settling on top of me. I managed to open my eyes and immediately wished I hadn't. I was surrounded by water. Water that sat on top of me, pushing me down. My chest constricted with the need to breathe. It hurt more there than anywhere else. I could feel the need to open my mouth and breathe clawing at my chest. Water pricked at my eyes. Stinging and harsh. There were other people in the water, some just lay there, as though they were suspended there, hanging on strings. Others thrashed about, struggling out of the water and onto the rocky shore. They were the ones shouting and screaming. I tried to follow them but my arms and legs wouldn't work. _

_The screaming stopped. The shouting turned into hoarse whispers. There was no-one coming. No-one would save us. The cold had surrounded me completely, creeping into my bones and trapping me in some sort of hellish wakefulness; I was too cold to succumb to the blackness that hovered on the edge of my mind. The world around me was fractured, little flashes of light flickering above me. Like sunlight on broken glass._

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**S****o there we go, Chapter two complete! Tell me what you think, any mistakes please point them out and I hope you enjoyed it! Chapter three should be up soon, hopefully it will be a quicker update than this one. Sorry again.**

**Right, so, read and review and I'll see you all soon!**

**M x**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three is here!**

**Hello, I am back with another chapter of Flying Home. I'm trying to make these longer but we'll see, hopefully I'm getting there. Please leave a review, I'd love to hear from you even if it's a criticism, they would all be appreciated greatly! The other PoV is in italics still.**

**DISCLAIMER: Still nothing. Sadly.**

* * *

_There were sirens blaring in the distance. Helicopters hovered above us. Nobody shouted anymore. No-one screamed. No-one spoke. I couldn't speak as they hauled me over the side of a fluorescent orange boat, wrapping a silver blanket around me. I looked around me properly, at the people fussing at me, concern written clearly across their faces. I looked at the bodies in the water, floating on the surface. There was one face that I needed to find. One face that I couldn't find. _

* * *

The Shire was a lot prettier in person. There was something very peaceful about the brightly coloured doors and the rolling green hills. Hills that were absolutely killing me. My legs felt like they were about to fall off, they were hurting so much!

We got some funny looks as we walked through Hobbiton. I guess they hadn't seen many dwarfs before. I certainly hadn't. I was expecting them to be a lot shorter. More like the dwarfs in Snow White. Gandalf introduced them in a long list of names that I didn't really get so I just smiled politely at each one. They were nice though, each one asking how I got the cut across my forehead. Gandalf had very quickly changed the subject. He had been quite distant through-out the journey to Hobbiton but sometimes I caught him looking at me strangely, an odd pensive look in his eyes.

Bilbo Baggin's hole was on the top of another hill, more agony for my legs. There was a mark on his green door, it was glowing softly in the evening gloom. When the other dwarfs saw it, they let out a loud shout and raced to the door, pushing and shoving each other out of the way. Gandalf sighed and followed, rapping on the door with his staff. I trailed behind him, half-hidden in his shadow. On the other side of the door somebody was shouting and muttering something about a clothead? The door opened and all the dwarfs who had been jostling forward to get closer to the door fell flat on their faces. Bilbo muttered something that sounded like Gandalf under his breath, good friends after this? I think not. After about five minutes of laughing I stepped through the door and stuck my hand out. Bilbo took it and shook it timidly. I smiled brightly.

"Cara O'Sullivan, pleased to meet you."

* * *

"_Cara!" It came out as a hoarse croak, the words scratching at my throat. _

"_Cara!" My voice was stronger, louder. One of the people on the boat shuffled over to me. It was a middle aged woman with greying blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. She smiled. _

"_Okay sweetheart? We're going to take you to the hospital now. Is that okay?" She was taking to me as though I was a frightened animal, palms outstretched between us, eyes assessing every move I made. _

"_You don't understand. My sister, my sisters still out there, in the water. I need to get my sister." My voice trembled. The woman smiled reassuringly. She took a step closer. _

"_Okay sweetheart, we'll find your sister." I looked back out across the water, looking at each of their faces, each frozen expression. I looked for the curly brown hair, the sparkling blue eyes, and the grin. _

"_Cara!"_

* * *

Bilbo Baggins looked terrified. I think I would too if I were him. The dwarfs had taken over, grabbing all kinds of food out of the pantry. Bilbo watched in horror as his pantry was emptied; tomatoes, bread, cheese, nothing was spared.

Gandalf smiled fondly at the dwarfs, weaving in and out of rooms carrying chairs and beer barrels. He turned and looked at me, raising his eyebrow. I grinned. I ducked through into the room the other dwarfs had disappeared into.

Utter chaos.

There was food flying everywhere, someone was on the table, tramping down the middle with mugs of what I think was ale. Dwarfs were messy. And disgusting. It was complete and utter chaos. They all raised their mugs, one of them yelling for quiet. They downed the ale. It dribbled down their chins, coating their beards in the amber liquid. From across the room, Gandalf offered me another smile. I wrinkled my nose in return.

A dwarf with spectacular starfish shaped hair burped. The others laughed and he sat down rubbing his stomach contentedly. Then the smallest dwarf stood up. He was wearing a grey, baggy knitted jumper. He leaned forward and belched loudly. It wasn't like a little burp either, it was a long, disgusting and smelly burp. Ew.

"Now, now lads," said one of the dwarfs. He had a long white beard that curled at the end. "There's a lady present."

It was as if someone had flicked a switch. They sat up straighter and brushed the crumbs off their clothes and surreptitiously wiped their beards. No-one spoke. I smiled nervously.

"Pass the bread please." The bread made its way down the table quickly until the basket was pushed under my nose. I took one from the top of the pile and muttered a quiet thank you. For a moment I debated whether or not to be polite and just nibble on the bread. My stomach gurgled and I shoved it into my mouth. While Gandalf looked mildly disgusted, one of the dwarfs snickered.

"What? I'm hungry." I shrugged. The dwarf wearing the funny hat laughed and yanked me down onto the seat beside him, chuckling as I yelped. He smiled at me kindly and then turned and promptly threw an egg at the fat dwarf. Switch flicked back.

* * *

_They had found Cara. She was clinging onto a black suitcase that bobbed gently in the waves. Her curly hair was plastered to her face and her grin had fallen, shivering blue lips pulled down in a grimace. I knew if I were to brush my fingers across her cheek, her pale freckled skin would be icy cold. Her eyes were closed. She looked peaceful. As though she were sleeping. _

* * *

Things settled down after the meal was finished. The dwarfs split off into groups, some disappearing into the living room, others back into the kitchen. I was introduced to the dwarfs in one long list of names; there was Balin- the old one with the curled white beard, Dwalin- the scarily tattooed one, Bifur- the dwarf with an axe in his forehead, Bombur- the ahem, larger dwarf. Bofur- the one with a funky hat, Nori- the one with the weird starfish shaped hair, Dori - the one with the plaited grey beard, Ori- the younger one wearing a huge knitted jumper, Kili was the beardless one and Fili was the blond one. So far, everything was going well. Well, for everyone that is, who wasn't Bilbo Baggins.

"Excuse me. That is a doily, not a dishcloth."

"But it's full of holes."

"It's supposed to look like that, its crochet."

"Oh and a wonderful game it is too, if you've got the balls for it." Heheh, oh Bofur.

So maybe it wasn't going so well for Bilbo, he looked seconds away from having a heart attack. He was ranting at Gandalf, practically having a tantrum and Gandalf just stood there smiling serenely at him. Then Ori, the youngest looking one had very politely interrupted, offering a timid "excuse me, what should I do with my plate?" Bilbo huffed and went to reply but Fili jumped in, taking the plate from Ori. Now, a normal person would have put the plate carefully in the kitchen where it could be washed or they could have washed it themselves. But dwarfs? Nope, they just chuck it around. Fili threw the plate at Kili's head chuckling at Bilbo's squawk. I seriously think that Bilbo will have a breakdown in his kitchen, any moment now…

"Can you not do that?" He yelped at Bofur who was scraping the cutlery together.

"You'll blunt them!"

"Hear that lads," Bofur said, "he says we'll blunt the knives!" The other dwarfs laughed.

Kili grinned at his brother, "Blunt the knives, bend the forks,"

"Smash the bottles and burn the corks," Fili joined in, bouncing crockery off his elbows.

All the dwarfs joined in. "Break the glasses and smash the plates! That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" I ducked out of the way of a flying cup, laughing at the incredulous look on Bilbo's face. Fili and Kili were dancing around the place, leather coats twirling around them. Bofur was playing a flute and Oin was playing a tea pot! I didn't even know you could play a tea pot! Bilbo rushed into the kitchen to find a large pile of dishes, nice and clean, stacked on his kitchen table. The look on his face was priceless! I don't think I've ever laughed so hard! The other dwarfs were howling with laughter, even Dwalin chuckled at the look on Bilbo's face.

The laughter was cut off by a loud knock on the door. Gandalf lowered his pipe,

"He is here."

Who?

* * *

**So there's chapter three! Sorry the chapters are all so short, I'm working on it. The next chapter has been started but I have two test/assessments this week so it will probably be posted at the weekend. Please leave a review, I would really like to know what you think. So thanks for reading and I'll see you at the weekend!**

**M x**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, me again. Before I start rambling, I just want to say a huge thank you to the guest who reviewed, thanks for pointing all of that stuff out, it was very helpful. To clear up any confusion you may have, Cara meets the dwarfs with Gandalf and it is them who asks her about cut, I've changed a bit of that chapter so if you wanna go back and read the slight change to that so it makes more sense also I hope the line jumping thing is fixed. :) ****. This chapter is all in one PoV but it's not Cara's so that's why it's so short as well, sorry. I hope you enjoy it and please leave a review! **

**DISCLAIMER: Nope, absolutely nothing. **

* * *

_They hauled Cara onto the boat, grimacing at the icy coldness of the water as they lent over the boat to grab her. They laid her down on the boat deck, carefully covering her with one of those silver blankets. Shock blankets. I had my own, wrapped tightly around my shoulders. Cara hadn't escaped the crash unscathed, there was a large gash across her forehead. Blood oozed from the cut, slipping down her forehead and into her eye. The redness of her blood stood out in stark contrast to her pale skin. I lurched forward into action, staggering towards my sister's prone body. _

_Someone is shouting. I realise afterwards that it's me, calling out her name. She doesn't respond, doesn't even open her eyes. I place my fingers clumsily on her wrist, feeling for a pulse. There is one there but it is faint, barely there. And then I'm being pulled away from her, pushed out of the way as people descend on her. Someone starts to press on her chest, then their ear is hovering above her mouth, checking for her breathing. The man trying to resuscitate her asks for a mirror, there is a scramble and finally a woman produces one, almost flinging it at him in her haste. He holds it over her mouth. There is silence. And then finally, there is mist on the mirror. It is only a small, tiny part of the mirror that has misted up and I know it is not enough. She's alive, but only just. He looks down at her and then back up at me. He hesitates. I step forward again, demanding that he do something. He looks away and then back down at Cara. He holds up her wrist, feeling for the pulse. He hesitates again. I step closer, sinking down onto the floor and snatching he wrist away from him. I press my own fingers to her cold skin. He slowly shakes his head. There is no pulse. _

_My heart stops. So does my breathing. It's just my brain, whirring away. I think of all the times we had laughed, cried. All the times we had shouted at each other, ignored each other and then reverted back to talking as though nothing had ever happened. I remember all the times she stole my clothes. All the times I stole her make-up. I think about her first day at my school, how everybody had called her cute and all I could think was how she really wasn't. I think over all the times wishing that she would go away, that she would stop annoying me. That she would leave me alone. And now she has._

_Memories flit round my head. Cara when she was four, heading to school, proudly holding up her schoolbag emblazoned with the school crest. Cara when she is eleven, leaving primary school, tearful face waving a final goodbye to her friends. Cara on her first day of secondary school, hand clutching onto mine as we cross the road and enter the gates. Cara when she was fifteen sobbing into my chest, crying over some silly boy. Cara when she was sixteen, opening the brown envelope that held her GCSE's. The look of surprise on her face as she read the results. Cara at eighteen, holding the next brown envelope in her hands, her face schooled into a blank mask, relaxing into a happy smile as she saw what she had achieved. Cara lugging her bags across the campus, trying to scowl and failing miserably as I laughed. Cara's face as the plane started to fall, the terror, the acceptance of what was about to happen. One final memory flew to my mind, Cara laughing. At what I can't remember but her whole face changed when she laughed, her eyes sparkled, her nose crinkled and she had looked so happy. I lent down and pressed a single kiss to her icy forehead. _

"_Sleep well little songbird."_

* * *

**So there's chapter four. I found this really hard to write so please tell me if it's any good. On the plus side though, I said that I would probably update this again at the weekend, and it's most definitely not the weekend! Thorin appears for the first time in the next one, woooo! Thanks for reading and please leave a review!  
M x**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's chapter five! A huge, huge thank you to Littlelots who has offered to be my beta! She's fantastic and you should definitely check her out!**

**Again, quite a short chapter, things should get longer, chapter length wise soon but alas for now, they are almost embarrassingly short. **

**Anyway, please read and review, your reviews mean a great deal to me and they are very much appreciated! Thank you!**

**DISCLAIMER: Nu-uh, still nothing. **

"Gandalf, I thought you said this place was easy to find." Standing in the doorway was another dwarf. He was taller than most of the dwarfs. His voice was low and smooth. He stepped into the hallway and shrugged off his cloak, passing it over to Kili who was waiting dutifully with an arm outstretched to take it.

"I lost my way. Twice." He stepped further into the light, looking at Bilbo with appraising eyes.

"You must be the hobbit." He said, circling Bilbo.

"Tell me Mr Baggins, have you done much fighting?"

"Well,"

"Axe or sword? Weapon of choice?"

"Well if you must know," Bilbo said, puffing out his chest, "I do have some skill in conkers if you must know, though I fail to see why that's relevant." Oh Bilbo. Conkers. I had snickered then, and that's what alerted the dwarf to my presence in the room. He looked up sharply and stared at me, finding me hidden behind a wall of dwarves. He turned to Gandalf.

"And who is she?" Gandalf looked over and smiled at me.

"This is… Do you know, I don't think we ever got around to introductions," He chuckled.

"Cara O'Sullivan. It's nice to meet you." I replied smiling. The dwarf completely ignored me and turned back to Gandalf.

"We will talk about this later." Then he swept away into what was now a clean dining room, completely disregarding the fact that I was there. Arse.

The other dwarfs followed him and I was left standing in the hall with Bilbo who was looking more and more exasperated as the night went on. He frowned at me.

"What happened to your head?"

"I um, fell?"

"Hmmmmm. It needs cleaning and dressing. Would you like me to?" He asked, gesturing to my head. I nodded and he led me down a corridor and into a bathroom.

Bilbo worked quickly and quietly, apologizing whenever I winced. Through the thin walls, I could hear the dwarves muffled discussion. They were talking about a quest. I heard Bilbo's voice join the mix and looked up in surprise. I hadn't even realized he had gone. I listened as intently as Gandalf began to talk.

"Far to the east, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands lies a single solitary peak."

"The lonely mountain." A shiver ran done my back. Even though I hadn't read the books or seen the films, some of my friends had and due to their fan-girling, I had been informed of the story line. I knew the basics, the thirteen dwarfs headed to the lonely mountain to reclaim their gold from a dragon. When I heard that I had laughed, because it was such a stupid idea. Foolish and set to fail. How could thirteen little men reclaim a mountain from a great big fire-breathing dragon? It still sounds ridiculous now when I think about it, but listening to their voices, their passion; it's enough to change a girls mind.

I was brought out of my reverie by the sound of fists hitting the table and Gandalf's loud voice resonating through the hobbit hole.

"Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar then a burglar he is!" There was what seemed to be a shocked silence.

"Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of a hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of your company and I have chosen Mr Baggins, there's a lot more to him than appearances suggest. And he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know. Including himself."

"Very well, we'll do it your way. Give him the contract." The dwarf who was late said. There was a brief moment of quiet before Bilbo's squeaky voice filled the air.

"Incineration?!" Bofur's cheerful voice answered Bilbo's.

"Aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bilbo started muttering and then there was a quiet thud as something, presumably Bilbo, hit the floor. That was when the other dwarf, the one who had been late, said quietly to Gandalf.

"What do we do with the girl?" It was Balin who answered.

"We take her with us." I could almost imagine the glare he would have received.

"Thorin, she is one of our own, we cannot leave her here." So his name was Thorin. There was some noise of agreement and I presume Thorin had nodded.

I left the bathroom shortly after I heard that conversation, quietly slipping into the sitting room and collapsing into a comfortable looking armchair. Thorin looked over from his position by the fire place, eyes dark and assessing. He seemed to come to a conclusion and walked purposefully towards me.

"You will accompany us on this quest." So not a question then, I thought, but I nodded anyway.

"Can you fight?" I shook my head slowly and he sighed.

"I can cook though, and sew." He nodded.

"Very well then. We will leave tomorrow morning, you will need supplies. The hobbit may be kind enough to provide you with some."

"Okay." The word was barely out of my mouth before he had returned to his position by the mantle piece, staring broodily into the fire. I yawned loudly and several of the dwarfs chuckled. Blushing rosily, I curled up in the armchair. Nearly dying in a plane crash can really take it out of a girl.

Thorin began to hum, a low and soothing sound that made me feel even drowsier. The other dwarves started to sing as well, another yawn slipped out of my mouth. It was like a lullaby, soft and gentle but there was a sadness to it, a sound of longing. The song started off quietly and the combination of the crackling fire, the warmth enveloping me and the softness of the song proved to be too much and I felt myself slipping away into sleep.

_I was tired. And cold. Oh so cold. Numbness crept over me, turning my limbs into lead and my mind into mush. They told me that there was no-one else. That I was the only one who had made it. Cara's face flew into my head and I had to suppress the emotions that flared up inside me. I had to remind myself that Cara almost made it. Almost. Then they shoved me into an ambulance, wishing me luck as the sirens blared and we raced to a hospital. It was just a blur of noise, the wailing sirens and the loud and urgent voices of the paramedic's quick-fire questions. What's your name, how old are you, where do you live. One of the paramedics told me not to go to sleep. I couldn't help it though, not when the darkness looked so warm and inviting, so quiet. It looked peaceful. And so I surrendered myself to the silence, quietly slipping into oblivion._

**So like I said, super-short but I am working on it I promise! So a huge thanks to Littlelots for checking this over, I am eternally grateful! Please leave a review and thanks for reading! **

**M x**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi, I'm soooooooooo sorry this has taken me so long to update, I don't have a proper or valid excuse so sorry. On the upside though, this chapter is definitely longer than the others. Anyways a huge thank you to Littlelots who beta'd this for me! On with the story!**

**DISCLAIMER: Still nothing.**

* * *

The sun hadn't properly risen when I woke up. I lay there in the darkness for a while thinking. Usually I'm the last person to wake; but today it seems I'm the first. I guess there was too much going on in my head. I had dreamt of the crash, Lucy's panicked face slipping through my mind constantly, a pang of homesickness following after. I got up from my spot on the armchair and quietly tiptoed over the other sleeping dwarves to the door. I looked over my shoulder at them all, pausing for a moment, before I turned and crept out of the door into the grey morning light.

I sat down on the bench and leant forward, setting my elbows on my knees and resting my head in my hands. The quest they-we- were about to embark on seemed silly out here in the clear and fresh outdoors. Last night seemed like some weird, vivid dream and I know that if they weren't there when I woke up, that's what I would have passed this all off as. Just some weird dream brought on by a traumatic event.

The plane crash seemed so far away, as though it had happened years ago even though it occurred only yesterday. Or the day before that. I frowned. I didn't even know what day it was. I would be at my grandparent's house by now. If the plane hadn't crashed. I would know where Lucy was. I would probably still be asleep. I felt the tears begin to sting at my eyes. I could hear Lucy's voice in my head, telling me not to be a baby. Telling me not to cry, to just suck it up and get on with it because I hadn't gotten all of the things I needed before we left. Telling me to be responsible. I didn't get up and go inside. I didn't get up and gather all the things I needed to go on this bloody quest. Instead I pressed the heels of my hands to my eyes and cried.

* * *

_The oblivion I had slipped into was not as peaceful as I had imagined it to be. It was quieter and for that I was grateful, I was left to my thoughts. But it felt like I was drowning all over again. The same constricting feeling, like an elastic band tightening around my chest, squeezing all the breath out of me. I could hear voices too. There were voices that were familiar to me and then were voices that were strangers. Those voices were the least upsetting. They were soft and smooth, quiet and kind. They whispered to me in a language I didn't understand. The language was like their voices, soft and kind. One voice was deeper than the others. I assumed it was a man. He spoke to me in English. He talked to me about simple, everyday things, about the weather and about people. Then there was a female voice, she spoke to me in that other language, whispering things I couldn't understand._

_Other voices mixed and mingled with these unknown ones. These other voices were familiar to me. These voices belonged to people I knew well. They belonged to my family and my friends. The first of these voices was my mum. She talked to me about the house, about all the changes and all the painting she had done to surprise us when we got home. Her voice had trembled but she had continued._

"_It'll just be you now Lu. When we get home that is. We didn't change either of your bedrooms, we were waiting for you to get home."_

_Then her voice disappeared into tears and I could hear my dad, whispering to her, pulling her away from me so that her voice was just a faint background noise. Then there was a usually loud and boisterous voice reduced to a quiet and solemn voice. My best friend Ella._

"_Come on Lu. You're missing all the best gossip. Did you know..." She told me everything I had missed at school. All the drama I had missed out on._

_My dad's voice was the hardest to listen to. Cara had always been dad's favourite. They did everything together and as soon as he started talking, the metaphorical band around my chest tightened._

"_Hey Lu. It's your Dad here. We miss you Lu. Please wake up." _

* * *

I don't know how long I spent outside. The sun had fully risen before I went back in, rubbing at my eyes. The older dwarf smiled sympathetically at me whilst Thorin glared. Kili appeared beside me, handing me a plate of eggs and bacon and I smiled up at him gratefully. My stomach rumbled loudly causing me to blush rosily. He grinned, chuckling as he went to pack his bag. I tucked into my breakfast silently, eating it quickly. The dwarves were packing all of their things up, rolling up sleeping mats and blankets. Gandalf ducked through the door and beckoned me with one long, wrinkled finger.

"I've had a word with Bilbo and he has graciously given you a few of his shirts and trousers. Unfortunately he is a hobbit and they have no need of shoes so you will have to make do with what you have." He looked down at my grubby converse and sniffed.

"Well here you are, all of this is yours, look after it well. There is a sewing kit inside so be careful." He said thrusting a rucksack into my arms. He smiled warmly at me and sent me towards the long line of ponies that I must have missed earlier this morning. Most of the other dwarves were already seated on their steeds. All of them except three; Thorin, Fili and Kili.

Thorin stomped out of the house soon after and swung up onto his pony, gathering the reins in one hand. The other two followed after him, laughing about something. They got on their ponies and I was left standing on the ground, looking up at them. Gandalf cleared his throat. Thorin sighed and turned to me.

"You will ride with Kili." Then he turned around and set off. Kili smiled down at me apologetically and helped me onto his horse, pulling me up so that I was sitting in front of him. And then we set off, riding into the dawn.

We had been riding for about ten minutes when the bet started. Fili leant over to Kili and smirked.

"20 silver pieces the hobbit doesn't come." Kili grinned.

"20 he does." Then the blond dwarf looked at me, eyebrows raised.

"Oh he's coming." Fili grinned and nodded.

"Well little brother, Lady Cara, I shall collect my winnings at the end of the day." Ha, I thought smugly. Knowing the basic plot has its advantages. Merely five minutes later, Bilbo Baggins came running through the trees, brandishing the rolled up parchment.

"I signed it! I signed it!"

Kili and I turned to Fili with matching smug expressions, hands outstretched. Fili deposited a little brown bag in each of our hands with a barely concealed scowl.

"Well, Master Fili," I said drawing out his name. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you." Kili snorted and Fili muttered something under his breath.

"Wait, you two are brothers?"

* * *

_The other voices were getting louder, drowning out the ones I knew until they were the only voices left. The squeezing feeling was lessening until I could breathe freely again. The oblivion I had slipped into was becoming more peaceful, almost the way I had imagined it would be until I felt the first gentle caress across my forehead. I realised then that my whole body was waking up, I just couldn't open my eyes. Sometimes I felt like I was close, I could see a faint smudge of light and I would reach out for it but then it would dance away from me, something pulling me back, pulling me away from consciousness._

* * *

I was surprised how quickly time went whilst I was with the two brothers. Well I guess the saying is true, time flies when you're having fun. Kili was the youngest and by far the most entertaining, Fili was older and more responsible but still incredibly sweet. He reminded me of the kind of guy Lucy would have gone for. Lucy. It was the first time I'd thought of her after we set off. Guilt bubbled up inside of me. I didn't even know where she was or if she was okay and here I was, off on a quest. Fili must have noticed the guilty expression on my face because he sat down next to me as the others set up camp. He nudged me with his knee and smiled.

"Where do you come from Lady Cara?"

"It's just Cara. I come from," From across the camp, Gandalf sent me a warning look. Lie. "I come from a small village up north." He seemed to believe this answer and I smiled.

"What about your family? It seems odd that they would allow a young woman to go travelling by herself."

"I was travelling with my older sister. My family are back at the village. I was separated from her and I ended up in the Shire." That much was definitely true, it was just a small matter of not saying anything about a huge metal box called a plane or the fact that technically I'm from a completely different world.

"I see, do you have any ideas where you sister may be?"

"None." I replied, my tone a little sharper and with more finality than I had intended. I pulled my legs up to my chin and wrapped my arms around my knees.

"Don't worry just Cara, I'm sure you will find your sister." His voice was soft and gentle as he got up from beside me. He smiled and walked away, going to sit beside his brother closer to the fire. My eyes met Kili's, and his lips tilted up in a soft smile. I blushed and turned away.

* * *

_The first time I opened my eyes it hurt. A lot. The light seemed to attack me and I had to blink over and over again before my sight returned. I was lying on a soft bed, covered by a silk blanket. Above me was a high vaulted ceiling. I blinked blearily. This is not a hospital which is where I should be. A dream, this is what this must be, some bizarre dream. I pinched myself, wincing at the pain. Definitely not a dream then. I sat up and swung my legs out of the bed, flinching slightly at the cold floor beneath my feet. I stood up slowly, cautiously making my way towards the door. Before I got there however, I was distracted by the large, arched window. The view was breath-taking. Waterfalls cascaded down creamy cliff-sides, emerald green trees grew up beside the rocks. Intricate buildings were made from gleaming white stone. There was a small creak as the door was opened. I swung around, a bit unsteadily and noticed a tall, pale man with long dark hair standing in the doorway. His eyes were a light blue and he had large pointy ears. He bent at the middle and bowed._

"_Excuse me, for I did not mean to startle you. I assumed you had heard me enter." I blinked._

"_I am Lord Elrond."_

"_Lucy O'Sullivan." I stammered, still staring at his ears, were they real? He bowed again._

"_Welcome to Rivendell, Lucy O'Sullivan." _

* * *

Kili and Fili were scaring Bilbo. I have to admit, it was pretty funny, but the poor little guy was terrified. Mind you, they didn't really deserve the telling off they got. From across the fire, Fili smiled at me. He leant closer to his brother and whispered something in his ear. Kili looked up quickly and smiled. Beside him, Fili muttered something else causing Kili to laugh, and turn away to talk to him. Watching them reminded me of Lucy and me. When we were younger, we used to spend every second with each other. My mum used to joke that instead of three years between us, there was only three minutes. That changed when we went to school, but we were still close and Lucy quickly became both my sister and my best friend. I missed her, there was no denying that. I always did when she was away, just this time I didn't know if she was coming back.

I didn't know I was crying until someone sat down beside me and offered me a handkerchief. I took it with a sniffle.

"Thanks."

"It's nothing." Ah. Kili.

"Why are you crying?"

"I miss my family." I replied, choking a little as I tried to stop crying. He didn't answer, so we sat in silence, with me sniffling into his hanky and him looking up at the stars. I followed his gaze up into the night sky. It was different to the sky at home. There was too much pollution in London to be able to see the stars at night, there wasn't that problem here, and the stars were proudly displayed across the night sky. Like diamonds glittering on black silk.

"The stars are different." I murmured. Kili looked at me puzzled.

"At home, the stars are different. I can't see the plough, or the North Star. It's funny really. I never noticed them at home, but here," I shrugged, "I don't recognize any of them." Kili frowned and looked back up at the stars.

"You see those seven stars there?" He said pointing out seven bright stars.

"Those stars make up Durin's Crown, they are the seven stars that Durin the Deathless saw in the Mirrormere. They came into being when Aule was making a silver sickle, and when he struck the metal with his hammer, seven sparks flew up. One of the elvish deities, I forget which one, caught the sparks and set them into the northern sky as a warning to Morgoth of his ultimate defeat." He turned and looked at me. His eyes crinkled and his mouth quirked up into a crooked smile, a smile that lit up his entire face.

"Now you know one of them."

* * *

**So there we go, chapter six! Please leave a review, it would mean a lot to me! I'll try and post the next chapter a lot quicker next time, again I'm so sorry!**

**M x**


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